Honey Free Baked Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these baked falafel patties deliver everything you want from the classic street-food staple without a drop of added sweetener anywhere in the recipe. The base is built from chickpeas blended with fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, and warm spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric — so the flavor is bold and complex all on its own. A short rest in the fridge firms up the mixture before baking, which is the quiet trick that gives each patty its satisfying, golden crust. Brushing olive oil directly onto the parchment and over the tops of the patties means you get that deep, caramelized exterior from the oven rather than a deep fryer. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes — just tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and a splash of cold water — and it's rich, nutty, and completely free of any sweetened condiments that can sneak into store-bought versions. Whether you're tucking these into pita, piling them over greens, or eating them straight off the platter, this is the kind of recipe that earns a permanent spot in your weeknight rotation.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the falafel
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3 tbsp chickpea flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
For the tahini sauce
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 3–4 tbsp cold water, as needed
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Spread the drained chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and pat thoroughly dry — excess moisture is the main reason falafel falls apart or steams instead of crisping. Let them air-dry for 10 minutes.
- 2
Combine the dried chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, and cayenne (if using) in a food processor. Pulse 15–20 times, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is finely chopped and holds together when pressed — it should look like coarse, slightly damp crumbs, not a smooth paste.
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